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Dutch bankruptcies up 16 per cent in September as 320 firms fail

Statistics Netherlands says 44 more businesses were declared bankrupt than a year earlier, with transport and storage hit hardest relative to its size.

NLnow newsroom

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In September 2026, 320 businesses were declared bankrupt, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports. That is 44 more than a year earlier, a rise of 16 per cent, and 16 more than in August.

The bankruptcy rate was 8.5 per 100,000 businesses, up from 7.5 in September 2025. Since mid-2025 the rate has hovered around 7 to 8.

The bankruptcy rate rose to 8.5 in September 2026

Bankruptcies per 100,000 businesses · Sep 2025–Sep 2026

6.577.588.5Sep 2025: 7.5Oct 2025: 6.8Nov 2025: 8.3Dec 2025: 7.1Jan 2026: 7.5Feb 2026: 8.3Mar 2026: 8.1Apr 2026: 7.8May 2026: 7.7Jun 2026: 8.1Jul 2026: 7.1Aug 2026: 8.1Sep 2026: 8.56.8Sep 2025Nov 2025Jan 2026Mar 2026May 2026Jul 2026Sep 20268.5
Source: CBS, corrected for court sitting days | NLnow graphic

The rate has been calculated since 2015. It peaked at 24.8 in March 2015 and hit a low of 3.4 in August 2021. It then rose until 2024, stabilised and eased slightly in 2025.

Transport up, hospitality down

Relative to the number of firms, transport and storage had the most bankruptcies in September: 37.8 per 100,000 firms, against 25.3 a year earlier. Industry followed at 37.3 (19.6 a year earlier) and construction at 22.5 (13.4).

Hospitality (horeca) saw the biggest change of any sector, but a drop: from 46.7 to 25.2 per 100,000 firms.

Industry and construction bankruptcy rates rose sharply while hospitality fell

Bankruptcies per 100,000 businesses

September 2025September 2026Transport and storageTransport and storage: 25.3 -> 37.8Transport and storage: 25.3 -> 37.837.825.3IndustryIndustry: 19.6 -> 37.3Industry: 19.6 -> 37.337.319.6HospitalityHospitality: 46.7 -> 25.2Hospitality: 46.7 -> 25.225.246.7ConstructionConstruction: 13.4 -> 22.5Construction: 13.4 -> 22.522.513.4TradeTrade: 15.4 -> 15.9Trade: 15.4 -> 15.915.9Rental and other business servicesRental and other business services: 15.1 -> 13.5Rental and other business services: 15.1 -> 13.513.5Information and communicationInformation and communication: 8.8 -> 8.2Information and communication: 8.8 -> 8.28.2Real estateReal estate: 3.9 -> 7.1Real estate: 3.9 -> 7.17.1Financial institutionsFinancial institutions: 5.5 -> 5.5Financial institutions: 5.5 -> 5.55.5Specialist business servicesSpecialist business services: 5.1 -> 5Specialist business services: 5.1 -> 55Agriculture and fishingAgriculture and fishing: 3.5 -> 2.3Agriculture and fishing: 3.5 -> 2.32.3Culture, sport and recreationCulture, sport and recreation: 2.3 -> 2.3Culture, sport and recreation: 2.3 -> 2.32.3Other servicesOther services: 0.5 -> 1.9Other services: 0.5 -> 1.91.9
Source: CBS, not corrected for court sitting days | NLnow graphic

The sector figures are not corrected for court sitting days. On that basis the overall rate was 9.7 in September 2026, against 8.5 a year earlier.